Moving out!

xHollyx

I'm 18 and looking to move out of my parents house, i'm going into renting because there is no way i would get a mortgage yet, my question is should i go into private or council renting and would a private land lord take me on with me only being 18 even thought i work as a care assistant?
And what are the dis/advantages of private and council renting?
Thank you

simpywimpy

check with your council what type of property and in what area you would be eligible for. There may be a waiting list.

Have you considered sharing the rent with a friend to cut down on the cost. If you're on a low wage, you might struggle.

Zelie

I don't mean to be rude but how is it you think you will be able to rent from the council? AFAIK unless you are currently pregnant and declared homeless you won't get a place to rent - sadly, there are just too many others needing social housing and not enough homes to go round.

Your ONLY option is to rent privately though you can always apply to a Housing Association rather than an individual landlord. They are sometimes better as rents are a bit lower but they are also more difficult to get a property from. Bear in mind that there can be odd rules with HAs. In my area if you want to register with HAs then you must first apply for council housing regardless of whether you want council housing (or are even eligble). So if you go down that route then do check out what you have to do to apply.

For private landlords be careful what you sign and ensure that what they offer is put in writing. Have a good read through this forum - there's lots of good advice on how to deal with landlords and it's worth taking the time to research your rights and responsibilities before you sign anything. As to whether they'd take you on at 18 - that's down to the individual. Some might ask for a guarantor for the rent money or proof of income.

Your other option is to move into shared accomodation. If you are a people-person then that can be a lot of fun and cheaper than renting a property alone. There are drawbacks to sharing with others so again, do your research before getting into anything!

PasturesNew

You will have to rent privately, in most areas as a single person you'd probably not get a council rental for 20-30 years.

For private renting you might need:
- up to £200 in various fees/credit checks
- up to 2 months' rent as a deposit
- rents are payable in advance so you'll need the first month's rent

Some agents might impose some criteria such as your rent musn't be more than 40% of your take home pay.

You're better off, as you're away from home for the first time, to go into a shared house with others of your own age/lifestyle. It will be significantly cheaper than trying to rent/run your own flat. Bills can be another £150-200/month on top of the advertised rent.

As you're working though make sure you don't share with students, the council tax bill for the entire house could end up coming solely down on you.